Flight Training Central

JANUARY 10, 2025

Descent planning is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of managing your flight. And if not planned properly, a poorly executed descent can present challenges and unnecessary risks when transitioning to an approach or the traffic pattern. Finally, you can enable messages to alert you as to when to begin the descent.

Descent 98

Descent Groundspeed Flight Plan AGL 98

Plane and Pilot

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

Often, turbulence is the harbinger of mountain waves, not the ideal ceiling—and visibility unlimited—day. Flight idle and nose down, which normally produced a 2,000-3,000-feet descent rate, resulted in a 2,000-feet-per-minute climb. We continued our descent into Great Falls, leaving “the wave” behind and above.

Turbulence 97

Turbulence Weather Knot Descent 97

Air Facts

APRIL 29, 2024

At the current groundspeed, I believed it shouldn’t be of much concern unless the cell began producing lightning. I requested a descent from 6,000’ down to 4,000’ and was denied due to traffic. I was soon cleared to descend to 4,000’ and entered IMC during the descent while I located the approach chart to brief.

Descent 98

Descent Approach Weather AGL 98

Professional Pilot

DECEMBER 10, 2024

After 11 hours of flight during our descent to initiate an approach, the airport closed for Category I (CAT I) approaches due to weather. During descent, we monitored the number 2 engine, and when we were at a comfortable distance from the airport we performed a precautionary shutdown and secured the engine.

Weather 98

Weather Approach Descent Runway 98